Aquarium ready to party on 45th birthday

by jmaloni

Thu, Jun 3rd 2010 09:00 am

Celebrate, celebrate! The
Aquarium of Niagara plans to do just that on its birthday weekend, June 12 and
13.

This year marks the 45th
anniversary of the opening of the Whirlpool Street attraction. Originally
called The Aquarium of Niagara Falls, the living museum opened June 12, 1965,
to much excitement and celebration with local dignitaries and residents cutting
the traditional ribbon at the entrance.

Local leaders and invited
guests will proclaim June 12 "Aquarium Day" in the city and county on the front
steps of the Aquarium that morning. During the two-day weekend, visitors will
receive a special "present": reduced admission for adults and children ($4.50).
Memberships will be sold for the discounted price of $19.65.

After each sea lion show,
visitors will be asked to sing "Happy Birthday" to the Aquarium. The Aquarium's
45th birthday party is sponsored by Turner Construction Co., with additional
support from Hershey's Creamery and Niagara Frontier Publications.

"The Aquarium, hundreds
of miles from the closest ocean, was once referred to as an ‘inland
oceanarium,' the first of its kind to maintain marine life exclusively with
artificial saltwater," said Nancy A. Chapin, executive director.

During the June 13 celebration,
Beaker, the Aquarium's penguin mascot, and the Hershey moose mascot will be on
hand to greet visitors. The moose will hand out ice cream samples from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m., or as long as they last. There will be craft sessions to make
something to take home and face painting both days.

The Aquarium is the
city's oldest and only year-round attraction, other than the falls themselves.

"Always a privately owned
facility, it has been a not-for-profit since the mid-'70s when more emphasis
was put on education and conservation," Chapin added.

In addition to its
saltwater displays, there are also Great Lakes fresh water exhibits, featuring
fish found in area waterways. Home to sea lions, penguins and harbor seals, the
Aquarium has added several new exhibits over the past few years, including
octopus, poison dart frogs and seahorses. The Aquarium also is the site of the
81st Whaling Wall, painted by marine life artist Wyland. There are 100 such
walls around the world.